Human Rights
Just Security’s expert authors offer in-depth analysis on critical human rights challenges, including those related to armed conflict, emerging technologies, abuses by authoritarian governments, repression of human rights advocates and independent media, human rights litigation, racial justice, gender equality, and more.
3,056 Articles

What Is the Next Line of Defense Against Torture?
Gina Haspel’s recent elevation to director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) despite her involvement in the George W. Bush administration’s prisoner abuse program and…

A Belief Shattered: The International Criminal Court’s Bemba Acquittal
BANGUI – On June 8, the appeals chamber at the International Criminal Court acquitted Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo of all charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity of murder,…

Detention of Migrant Families as “Deterrence”: Ethical Flaws and Empirical Doubts
The government's own statistics prove the very opposite of what the Justice Department just told a federal court about the deterrent effects of family detention. But let's start…

Detainees in Iraq Win Damages from Denmark in High Court Ruling
A Danish High Court (‘Østre Landsret’) decided this month that the Danish government should compensate a group of Iraqi nationals who sued the Ministry of Defense over ill…

“Zero Tolerance” and the Detention of Children: Torture under International Law
The Trump administration will continue to run afoul of refugee and human rights law unless and until it stops criminalizing refugees and ends the unjustified detention of children.

Mediterranean Stand-Off: why we need to move beyond crisis thinking on refugees
The current approach to refugee protection is clearly broken. Urgent action is required to end inter-state squabbling over responsibility for affording protection. Until then,…

In Saudi Arabia, Countering Terrorism Becomes Chimera for Rights Abuses
Saudi Arabia’s drive to counter terrorism has become a convenient chimera to support crackdowns on legitimate public dissent and political or social activism of any kind, and…

Appeals Judges Turn the ICC on its Head with Bemba Decision
Reversing Bemba's conviction turns the ICC's procedures upside down, with extremely negative consequences for the institution.

Letter to the Editor: A Perilous Peace Between the Koreas
The peace initiatives involving the United States and the two Koreas are rightly welcomed given the long history of conflict and division. There are however certain unspoken realities…

“Resources for Resilience”: New Site Launched to Promote Resilience & Mental Health in the Human Rights Field
Recently, we launched a new resource for human rights and social justice advocates to promote resilience, well-being, and mental health. “Resources for Resilience,”…

Syria: Where Civilians Became a Commodity for Settling Accounts
As long as military operations are seen as a solution to the problem in Syria, there can be no hope for parties to come together to establish peace in Syria. Meanwhile, the civilians…

Advocating for a Separate Designation Criterion on Starvation
On May 24, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2417 (2018) on conflict-related food insecurity. In many ways, the resolution is a welcome first step in drawing…